USA Hockey Adult Hockey

At 53, Phil Miller is the oldest player in the advanced league of the Capital Hockey League (CHL) in Helena, Mont.

“I’m playing with 18-year-olds and players in between my age and 18,” Miller said.

Miller doesn’t quite have the speed of a teenager, but he tends to hold his own. He uses his on-ice experience to aid him.

“I know where to be and I know how to defend,” Miller said. “I score a couple goals now and then. I’m not a big goal-scorer, but I get in front of the net and screen the goalie. I’ve lost a couple teeth because of that.”

Miller is one of 11 players on the “Red” team. With fewer than 50 players in the CHL advanced league, the four teams — which are named after colors — are constructed via a draft. There aren’t any holdover teams, so guys are playing with different combinations of teammates every session.

“I’m OK with a draft, because they have a travel team they put together that goes to some of the tournaments and you get to be good friends with them,” Red team member Casey Shaw said.

Having a draft also makes the league more even and competitive. It’s sometimes tough to attract new hockey players in Helena unless they are recent high school graduates.

“[Locals] come to the junior games, but there aren’t a lot of people that skate,” said Miller, whose teenage son Austin also plays on the Red team. “There’s been times where we’ve only had seven players on each team. But it’s getting better.”

Since Miller has competed in the league for a decade, he’s been teammates with the majority of the players in the past. Without holdover teams, however, the players must develop on-ice camaraderie in just a few short months each session.

“You get to know each other pretty quick, I guess, because it’s such a small team,” said Shaw, 28, who played college hockey at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. “We just go out there and have fun — nothing too serious.”

For any team Miller plays on, he’s always the biggest character on the ice. During his stint on the Red squad, Miller plays every game dressed head to toe in red equipment.

“I like to wear red, so I have red pants, gloves, red helmet,” Miller said. “People give me a hard time. They think I like the Detroit Red Wings, but that’s not how it is.”

Miller, who also plays in the over 50 league, is even decked out in a special red jersey.

“He has one that says, ‘Dr. Phil’ on the back of it,” Shaw said. “He’s the most interesting guy on the team. Most fun to watch for sure.”

The guys play loose in the winter session since there isn’t a postseason. After Christmas, however, the spring session starts and the teams get a little more serious because there’s a trophy on the line. The coveted hardware consists of a beer keg with inscriptions of the past winners, similar to the Stanley Cup.

Miller knows he’s getting up there in age to be able to skate with players a third of his age. He considers that before every season gets underway.

“I’m friends with a lot of the guys and I tell them, ‘I think I’m going to retire this year and drop down to a lower league,’” Miller said. “And they talk me out of it. It keeps me in shape.”

Miller loves getting on the ice and he doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.

“Until I can’t keep up anymore,” Miller said. “I can keep up with most of them.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.